Why Is Friday the 13th So Scary?

Beware Friday the 13th! Question is, what does that mean exactly? Well, for starters, it only occurs three times a year and is synonymous with bad luck. According to Snopes.com, there's a historical explanation behind the day's spooky reputation. "Some of the more common theories link it to a significant event in the Christian tradition said to have taken place on Friday," like the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, and Eve offering the apple to Adam in the Garden of Eden.

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So that may explain the Friday part, but what about the number 13?

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According to History.com, 10 percent of Americans fear the number 13. There's even a name for the phobia—triskaidekaphobia. The superstition is why that many buildings don't have a 13th floor, and some airplanes don't have a 13th row. There are several theories as to why the number makes so many so uneasy. In numerology, the number 12 is associated with completion and harmony, so it makes sense why the number after it would get a bad rap.

Historically, the number 13 has popped up in unfortunate ways. There were 13 people at the Last Supper, for instance, and the 13th person to sit at that table was Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus.

The famous space mission Apollo 13 was the only unsuccessful manned mission to the moon.

People with 13 letters in their name are "bound to have the devil's luck," reports Mental Floss. For reference, Charles Manson, Jack the Ripper and Osama bin Laden all have 13-letter names.

Another theory is that priests vilified 13 because there were 13 menstrual cycles in the year, and the number was revered in goddess-worshipping cultures.

Whatever the reasons, nowadays it's just something that most Westerners laugh off. Perhaps a few scary movies will play on television and people will post funny YouTube videos.

If you still happen to fear the number 13, just think of 'baker's dozen' because who doesn't love free doughnuts?

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